1999 Terre Rouge, Sierra Foothills, Enigma ($18). This is a Rhone type blend of marsanne (63%), viognier (30%) and rousanne (7%). It weighs in at 14.3% alcohol, 3.60 pH, and 6.0 gm/liter total acidity. Offers ripe pears and roasted almonds on the nose and upfront. Complex fruit, racy acidity, and lots of full bodied heft across the palate, and a lovely, lingering finish. We felt we needed to drink it up soon, and couldn't decide what to have with it. So we created the following dish to do the trick. It did the trick, far exceeding our expectations. If you can't find Enigma, try the dish with a Cotes du Rhone Blanc. The Enigma is wonderful though, and well worth looking for.

Melt butter in oil at medium heat. Season top of fillet with salt, paprika, and fine herbs. Place in pan topside down and saute five minutes, seasoning bottom the same as the top. Turn carefully and saute another five minutes. Very carefully remove fish to a warm platter, and keep warm. Pour off excess fat. Deglaze with wine, scrapping up that which was sticking to the pan, and cook down to a thick syrup. Add cream and cook until well thickened. Scrape sauce with a rubber spatula over the fish, and sprinkle with more fine herbs. Serve.

Had a reunion with eight folks we were stationed with in France circa '64-'66, from Friday through Monday nights past. When they arrived on Friday, the ten of us churned through the better part of a half case of the Enigma with smoked chickens, biscuits, and salad. They were very, very impressed.

We ended up having a late supper of chicken salad sandwiches last night. Mother said she wanted a white with them. Didn't have a chilled white handy, so took a bottle of Enigma out of our 60 degree F cellar and popped it. Bucko and others are right, cool can be better than cold, especially when a white is as lovely and complex as this one. Only two left down there; will have to get more.

2002 Enigma ($20 but less with Fall Sampler). This one checks in at 43% Marsanne, 34% Viognier, 23% Rousanne. Alcohol level 14.5%. First one we have had in a very long time. Never even guessed at the alcohol level until we looked. This fine is so full, it absorbs it completely. Still ranks up there with the best white wines we have ever had.

Gives you flowers, ground almonds, and rich fruit such as apricot on the nose and upfront. Large, rich, and full complexity across the palate, and the finish lingers almost forever.

Matched it with our Scallops Morney and salad in blue cheese dressing. The scallops marched mano-y-mano with this wonderful wine.